The Elector
by A.R. Darcangelo
Summary: Anden is the Republic's Elector Primo and after the events of Champion, the Republic is flourishing. But will this be all Anden has, a life dedicated only to the Republic? Will things change when he meets a beautiful young girl who is in search for a place called District 13? All characters and rights belong to either Marie Lu or Suzanne Collins.
1. Chapter 1

The Elector

Chapter 1:

The Republic has never looked more beautiful. Streetlights glow and the sound of laughter fills the sweet Los Angeles air. My apartment here is much more extravagant than the one I own in Denver. I prefer it in Denver though – I don't need anything fancy. I practically live out of my suitcase and behind a podium anyway.

The thought makes me think of the afternoon Day got behind a camera after scaling up a tall building to tell the people he stood behind me and my ideas for the Republic. Where would I be now if he hadn't done that?

_That_ thought makes me think of _her_.

My heart constricts in my chest. I close my eyes and try to think of something else. Anything else. Foreign policy. The successful treaty with the Colonies. Trading the cure with the Colonies and Antarctica and how economically, the Republic has never been better. I have a speech to make tomorrow. I have to get up at six a.m. for a security check. With the head of my security team.

I let out a deep sigh. Her soft ivory skin and long black hair fills my vision. And the words that I hoped I would never have to hear, but somehow I knew I always would, filled my ears.

When I found out Day had lost some of his memory, I was grateful. Grateful that he didn't have to bear the memories of the past two years of his life. He was so miserable and heartbroken. The only time I saw his face light up was when she walked in the room. June…

I got up out of the armchair that was facing the city and walked across my bedroom and into the bathroom to splash water on my face.

It had taken some time, but June eventually healed from letting go of Day. I was thankful that she still wanted to be my friend, and eventually she became the head of security in Denver. I had honestly not expected our relationship to take a romantic turn. I, of course, still had feelings for her, even after I had known her heart belonged to Day. So I was surprised when she had kissed me back in Las Vegas while we were on a trip there for one of her birthdays. The rest, as they say, is history.

I looked into the mirror of my bathroom, watched my red and heavy eyelids blink and my dark wavy hair fall onto my forehead. I looked terrible. Did I look this terrible two hours ago? I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small satin box. I pushed it open with my thumb and forefinger, revealing an emerald ring. She never saw it. Even if I had had the chance to ask and she had said no, I would have wanted her to have it. When I saw it at the jewelers I thought of her instantly; she was beautiful and unique, a one of a kind – only she could ever have it. I would return it tomorrow. Or perhaps I would ask one of the secretaries in the building to do it. It was kind of embarrassing to return an engagement ring…

"_June?"_

_She looks up at me with her impeccably beautiful brown-gold eyes. "Yes?"_

"_Are you okay?" I'd asked as I fiddled with the ring in my pocket._

_She sighed and looked down at her food. She continued picking at it._

_My heart lurched uncomfortably in my chest. "What is it?"_

"_Anden…" she started, and I knew what was coming._

"_June, please," I whispered, but I knew it was no good._

"_I can't keep doing this… I can't… love you, like you need me to. Like I should. You deserve more." She had dropped her fork. She looked at me then. I knew then it was over. _

Of course she was right. About not being able to love me like I needed her to. It pulled at my heartstrings every day to know that if things had worked out the way they were supposed to, she and Day would be together. And the kiss in Las Vegas would have never happened. I would have never said the words "I love you" to the only person I had ever loved so completely and without reservation.

But did I deserve it? I wanted what was best for the Republic. And I tried hard, I really did. And things have improved greatly over the past ten years. The difference is astronomical. But did I deserve this? Love? I didn't think so. My life was dedicated to the Republic. I was born into this role, shouldn't I fulfill it? When could I have time for love, or someone who could truly return it?

Tomorrow would be difficult. I would have to see June again. She would still be the head of my security team. I wouldn't have anyone else take her place. Regardless of our relationship, she was the best at what she did, and she was irreplaceable.

I padded out of the bathroom and turned off the light, letting the city lights whiten my bedroom. I had just sunk gratefully into my sheets before three quick knocks rapped at my door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Yes?" I ground out as I opened my door to a senator and his assistant.

The assistant bowed slightly. "My glorious Elector Primo, we have some news that needs your immediate attention. We have a girl from the Colonies. She was found near one of the weaponry stations this evening. She says she was heading for District 13, but we don't know what she is talking about. She may be another spy, you must – "

I hold up my hand mid-sentence. "This cannot wait until tomorrow morning? It's nearly one in the morning."

"Sir," the assistant begins again, wringing his hands, "I am not sure this is something you want to wait on, we still can't depend on them – "

I sigh and hold up my hand. "Let me change my clothes and I'll be right down. What detention center have we sent her to?"

The assistant gives me the information and I call for a car to come get me in twenty minutes. The senator behind him kindly reminds me of my upcoming speech in the morning. Great. It looks like I won't be getting any sleep at all tonight.

I get dressed in a black suit and black button up. I put on my Elector Primo face and head down to the car. We drive by the hospital where Day had tried to steal the cure so many years ago, and where June had lost her brother. Only a few blocks away is the detention center.

I jump out of the car and tell the driver not to wait. Three security guards follow me. They had been waiting at the entrance of the detention center. I wonder idly if June had sent them.

I walk into the detention center and the secretary behind the front desk directs us to take the elevator up to the fifth floor where the prisoner is waiting. As we exit the elevator there are a couple senators, including the one who had come to my door, and about ten security guards, all standing at the ready. I put my hand up and they lower their guns. I look through the one way glass into the prisoner's cell, completely white and bare. There are no tables, chairs, not even a cot – just a young woman, probably in her mid-twenties with long, beautiful blonde hair and lightly tanned skin sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees so I cannot see her face. She is wearing a tattered white dress that hangs on her thin frame, and flats that are torn at the edges where her toes meet the fabric.

I motion for the security guard by the door to unlock it. He does, and I enter the room with two guards behind me. I stop about five feet from her, not wanting to get too close.

I clear my throat and turn on my Elector voice. "Good evening. Or morning I should say. Can we start with you telling me your name?"

She doesn't answer. She just stays in the same position, and I would have thought she was asleep except that her breathing is uneven.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I suggest you make it as easy as possible for both of us."

I continue to stare at her for a minute, letting my words sink in. She eventually raises her head, but she does not look directly at me. For that I am grateful, because if she had, she would have seen how absolutely floored I was when I saw her face for the first time. She had a heart shaped face with eyes that were the color of sapphires – as blue as the oceans under Antarctica. She had a small, slightly upturned nose and rosy cheeks, probably from crying, and full lips that were parted as she continued to try controlling her breathing.

I cleared my throat again. "There. Now tell me, what is your name?"

She closed her mouth and swallowed, then looked up at me with wet and fearful eyes. "Madge Undersee."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who is reading this story! As much as I love Day, I also love Anden. I think he deserves a happy ending, too!**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 3:

It was too bright in here. Too… clean. The lights were fake and fluorescent, and it smelled faintly of bleach. I tucked my face into my arms and pulled my knees up against my chest.

So, was this what I had been looking forward to? Panem was gone, and I no longer had to worry about repercussions from those who were on the Capitol's side of the war. It had been nearly seven years since the Capitol went to war with the Districts, successfully destroying my home. My father and I had made it out in time, but the devastation still remained.

A couple months ago, we'd gotten word that District 13 was flourishing – the population was growing, there was plenty to eat, and the new president was the best thing to happen to the previous citizens of Panem. District 13 had supposedly spread over several other districts that had been mostly destroyed during the war, as well as the Capitol that was being rebuilt.

For some reason, this was a lot different than I expected it to be. I had expected to see perhaps some of the peacekeepers my father had known. And if not them, old district council members that he met with several times a year on trips to the Capitol that I was allowed to tag along on. But something here felt off. Had I been out of society that long? Could everything have changed so fast and so… drastically?

I supposed it could. The Hunger Games were over, that was for sure. I had heard from other camps who had escaped but not traveled to District 13 that Katniss was still alive. And Peeta had lived too. I wondered if they had ever really been together. A few days before my father and I ran into the woods behind District 12, Peeta had been struck by a force field in the Games and nearly died. The way Katniss reacted, I knew she had to have feelings for him. I knew it couldn't have all been for the show. That was not the Katniss I grew up with.

My father and I had chosen to stay in hiding while the Capitol and District 13 were at war. After the dust had settled, we stayed hidden, afraid that a new country may be too unstable and new to handle threats from other countries. The Capitol had left us so in the dark – how could we know what we were up against?

Two weeks ago, as my father and I traveled in the general direction of District 13, he had gotten sick. We weren't sure if it was something he had eaten, but within four days, he was so ill he couldn't move. The following evening he wouldn't wake up. And I was alone.

I felt my eyes start to burn. Slow, hot tears started to stream down my face. I had lost everything – my home, my father – what reason did I have to move? To go anywhere or do anything? I felt lifeless and purposeless.

I vaguely heard a deep male voice outside the too-white room. The lock on the door clicked open and then shut again. Three pairs of footsteps walked across the floor and stepped in front of me.

Someone cleared their throat. "Good evening. Or morning I should say. Can we start with you telling me your name?"

I struggled to control my breathing. My father and I should have never left. Why go back into civilization when we were free to live outside the District? We had done it for seven years. But no, I was here instead being interrogated.

The man sighed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I suggest you make it as easy as possible for both of us."

I open my eyes and let in a few even breaths. I lift my head slightly but don't look up yet. I am not sure if I can speak.

The man clears his throat again. "There. Now tell me, what is your name?"

I swallow hard. "Madge Undersee."

"Madge? It's nice to meet you. I am Anden, the Republic's Elector Primo."

My head snaps up. "The Republic?" As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I stop, feeling suddenly like I'm a sixteen year old with a lot of hormones. The man in front of me is tall – probably not as tall as I think because I am sitting on the floor – and has deep green eyes and dark wavy hair that is neatly combed back. Although he looks tired and worn, he doesn't look like he belongs in a position of leadership. He looks much too young – perhaps in his early to mid-twenties. For a leader, there is one characteristic that noticeably stands out: his expression, though tired, is so kind, I instantly feel comfortable in his presence.

"Yes, the Republic of America." He looks at me quizzically. I realize he has repeated himself.

I shake any kind feelings I have towards this man – what did he say his name was? "Is this District 13? Is that what you've named the new country?"

The man cocks his head to the side. "No. I have never heard of this 'District 13' that you speak of."

I look back down at my knees. Were all the rumors a lie?

"Madge?"

I glance back up. The man is looking at me worriedly. After a moment he turns around and leans toward one of the guards standing beside him and whispers something in his ear. All I can hear is the sound of my brain swimming, like rushing water pounding in my ears.

The guard he spoke to walks out of the room. The man looks back down at me and studies me. I shift uncomfortably.

When the guard re-enters, he has a tissue box in his hand. He hands it to the man who leans down and pulls a tissue out of the box. He hands it to me and looks me right in the eye. I have never seen eyes that green before. I wonder idly if they look so green because of the awful lighting in here.

I take the tissue and blow my nose. The man sets the tissue box down on the ground next to me. After drying my face I realize how incredibly dry my throat is.

"Aaron?"

The man smiles. "Anden."

"Anden," I say, testing his name on my tongue. He smiles wider. "Can I have some water?"

Anden gestures for the same guard to go get some water. The guard rolls his eyes and leaves.

"You look awfully tired," Anden observes, looking at my face. "How about you get some sleep, and we will talk tomorrow."

I look around me. I have slept on the forest floor many times before. So I don't think when I lay down on the floor and curl up to sleep.

"What are you doing?" Anden says, his voice full of shock and disbelief.

"Sleeping?" I say. Didn't he just tell me to get some sleep?

"On the floor? Even some of our worst criminals at least get a cot." He holds his hand out to me.

I sit up, but I don't take his hand. "Is that what I am, a criminal?"

He studies me for a moment. "I'm not sure yet."

"Tomorrow?" I ask.

"Tomorrow," he confirms with a smile.

Even though I am skeptical, I take this stranger's hand and let him pull me to my feet. He and three other guards with guns drawn lead me to a room with not just a cot, but a bed with a comforter and four pillows. Four!

I put my cup of water that the first guard handed to me down, and I run my hand across the soft, thick blanket. I can't help but wonder if going to District 13 would be better than being a prisoner in this Republic of America.

I feel eyes on me, and I turn to see Anden studying me again.

"Have you never felt silk before?" he asks.

"I have," I clarify. "It has just been a really long time…"

He nods. "I will be back tomorrow afternoon to speak with you. You may take a shower and we will give you some clean clothes to wear… Unfortunately you will need to stay in handcuffs."

"While I shower?" I ask incredulously.

Anden swallowed uncomfortably. "Um, no, just when you are finished and you are ready to lie down."

"Oh." I looked around the room. I spot handcuffs in the corner attached to some chains that were about three feet long so I could move around the room, but still remain a prisoner.

"Well, good night, Madge," Anden said, bowing slightly before leaving the room with one guard. The other two, who happen to be women, stay with me and wait outside my door while I shower.

After my shower I tuck myself into bed and the guards shackle my wrists so I can only move around the bed. Even with my restraints, it's the best sleep I have had in nearly seven years.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to those who are reading this story. It's been kind of slow moving since I am working on a fanfiction for The One (The Selection Series by Kiera Cass) and I'm trying to finish before the book comes out in May. I will definitely try to post a chapter or two a week for this story, because truly, I want to see Anden get his happy ending too.**

**Please review, favorite, and follow! **

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 4:

I am standing at a wooden podium, trying desperately not to fall asleep. I have already had three cups of coffee, and I haven't even had breakfast yet.

My mind wanders to Madge, who is probably still sound asleep. I had decided to give her until late afternoon to sleep, seeing how unkept and tired she had looked the night before, but it was tempting to go straight to her room after my speech. Strangely enough, I felt drawn to her and wanted more than anything to get to know this girl who was looking for an unidentified place all on her own.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw June, dressed completely in black with her slick ponytail trailing behind her. She was doing her security rounds, and was successfully keeping her eyes averted so she didn't have to look at me.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed the little black box with her ring. I walked over to one of the advisor's secretaries who was busy taking notes.

"Excuse me?" I asked, bending down a little to reach her level.

She looked up at me through magnified glasses. "Yes, Elector?"

"Would you please take this back to the jeweler's today… discreetly?" I whispered the last word.

She nodded as she took the little box in her fist. Her eyes flickered to June. The news would be known to the Senate by tomorrow.

I sighed and walked back over to the podium, straightening my tie.

The cameraman nodded at me and held up three fingers. It was time to start talking.

I got through the speech relatively quickly. Journalists scribbled on their notepads eagerly, and at the end hardly any of them had questions. One of the questions, however, caught me completely off guard, and unfortunately, caught my reaction on live television.

"Elector, is it true that you are engaged to your head of security?" a seedy looking man with wire rimmed glasses asked.

I blushed furiously. "I am only taking questions that pertain to the subject on which I am speaking. Any other questions?"

The questions stopped after that, and as I stepped off the podium my eyes locked with June's gold ones.

"June," I said politely.

"Hi," she breathed, looking embarrassed.

"I thought I was clear there were to be no personal questions. I do apologize," I said sincerely.

"No worries," she responded, offering me a small smile before dipping her head and walking in the other direction.

When I finally got back to my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and coat and got into bed. I closed my eyes, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not sleep. I found myself looking at the clock, wondering if it was too early to visit Madge. I reminded myself I essentially had to interrogate her, and it was not a social visit.

Around noon, I decided it was late enough to see her. I got up and put my shoes and same coat back on, trying to smooth the now wrinkled shirt underneath it. On the way to the hospital, I stopped by a pasta restaurant and got two calzones to go, something June had introduced me to a few years ago.

When I knocked on Madge's door, a female guard opened it, nodding behind her before letting me in. I excused her and the guard that was standing on the other side of the room, leaving Madge and I alone.

"Madge," I said, bowing slightly.

She looked up at me in disbelief. "Andrew," she said carefully.

"Anden." I sat on the edge of her bed and began unfolding the foil wrapped around the calzone. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she responded, eyeing the calzone eagerly.

I handed the calzone to her with a fork, and watched as she dug into it like she'd never seen food before.

I couldn't have imagined she could've gotten much prettier than she was when I first saw her last night, but after her shower, I could clearly see the gold in her hair and how soft and clear her skin was. She was radiant.

She spotted me staring at her as she shoveled a large bite into her mouth. She put down her fork and placed that hand over her mouth as she tried to chew.

"Don't be concerned with how you look. When was the last time you ate? I'm guessing it hasn't been recent," I guessed.

She nodded in affirmation. She looked down at the foil wrapped calzone in my lap.

"You can have this one as well, if you'd like," I said, handing it to her.

She shook her head. "Is ent dat fer you?" she said around her food.

I smiled. "I don't feel too hungry right now. Besides, as the Elector I have more food in my kitchen than I know what to do with sometimes. It won't be my last meal. Though I think a calzone would probably be high on my list if I was going to have only one more meal."

"Calzone?" she inquired, swallowing the last of the first calzone.

"Yes. That's what they're called. It's like… pizza. But wrapped in a crispy bread roll. Well, you know, you just ate it."

"I have never had one… or pizza. What's pizza?" she said, cocking her head to the side.

"I'll tell you what, I'll bring that next time and you can see for yourself. You like pepperoni, no?"

"The meat?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Yes," I confirmed, smiling at her lack of knowledge of such a popular food.

"Only people who lived in the Capitol could afford pepperoni," she said in wonder. I handed her the other calzone, and she unfolded the foil carefully. She savored each bite this time, in disbelief that she was eating such a rare meat in her country.

Speaking of which…

"So, Madge, tell me what this Capitol is that you speak of. And District 13. Is that where you live?" I asked in a soothing tone, hoping she would open up to me.

She studied my face for a moment. I guessed she was trying to decide if she could trust me.

I sighed. "Madge, let me ask you this: what would the information you have do to you? My guess is that you have very little to hide – I am sure that you are afraid of something. Or someone. Let me help you," I offered.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" she whispered, her eyes giving away her fear.

"I suppose you can't," I said honestly. "But how much worse can things get for you? I know I have provided a nice place to stay for you. And besides the chains, you are not being treated as a prisoner. But you are one. I don't think it would hurt to just tell me what you were doing by the weaponry last night, or answer any other questions I have for you. Even if it wasn't intentional, I need a story to back it up. Then it will be my turn to decide if I can trust you."

Madge stared at me for a moment. I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. Finally, she sighed.

"Alright, I'll tell you."

She told me she was from a place called District 12. Her father had been the mayor, and they had escaped into the forest near her home about a day before it was bombed by the Capitol, where she said someone named President Snow lived. She said that a Revolution had started because of the Hunger Games, which she explained was some sort of competition where children fought each other until all were dead but one. She had a friend named Katniss who was in the Hunger Games two years in a row. She had survived the Revolution, and the Games were now gone. She supposedly lived in a place called District 13, where all the people who had survived the Revolution had relocated to. She said she was heading there with her father after seven years of hiding, when he died unexpectedly in the forest.

I had suspected that the plague, which occasionally grew new strands and lived on in wildlife, was what had taken her father. We had been mostly successful in ending the plague with the cure that was found in June, but there were always people that were unintentionally missed.

As she told me her story, I realized very quickly that the Colonies were part of this District 13. Almost ten years ago, it had been the Capitol she was telling me about that we had made a treaty with. They seemed to go through leaders every few years, and I had assumed they were on either an election based system, or they were hiding their real leader behind different faces – who I now knew was President Snow. About seven years ago, our government had gotten wind that there was a Civil War going on in the Colonies – the people rebelling against their own government. We had thought we would be able to expand into the Colonies after the war had finished, but the government had stayed intact, and I again began to deal with a different leader.

It all made sense now – after the war with the Capitol, District 13 took over because they had already been self-governing for 75 years. They did such a good job of hiding the fact that they were a new emerging country after the Capitol went down that I, nor anyone else, had even noticed.

"Thank you, Madge," I said, giving her a smile.

She had cried when she was telling me about her father. I reached behind her and grabbed a tissue. She took it gratefully and rubbed it across her cheeks.

"Am I in trouble?" she asked tearfully,

"No, not at all. On the contrary, you were very helpful. I understand that when they found you by the weaponry, you were just lost. I will not hold that against you."

"Thanks," she said softly. She looked down at her half-eaten calzone. It was probably cold now, but I knew she would still probably finish the whole thing.

"How old are you, Madge?" I asked in genuine curiosity.

"Twenty-four," she answered immediately. I swelled with hope at the thought that she trusted me enough to disclose personal details. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-nine," I said, wrinkling my nose. "I am going to keep saying that, even when I turn thirty. I don't want to be thirty."

"If it makes you feel any better, I thought you were my age. You don't look thir – twenty-nine." She smiled at her mistake.

"Thank you. That's a compliment for sure. I feel like I have seen things even old men have not seen. I feel a lot older than I am." I sighed.

"So what are you going to do with me, Anden?" she asked, taking another bite of the calzone.

"Hey, you got my name right," I teased. "I have to discuss what we have talked about to the Senate first. Then we will decide from there how we will proceed with releasing you. Since you are not a citizen of the Republic, it will take some time to release you. But you are welcome to stay with us here… without chains. But you will need guards to monitor you for a little while, I'm afraid."

"I can understand that," she said, looking down at the cuffs around her wrists.

"You may also need to take a lie detector test," I said carefully. "I believe you, but some of the Senators are old timers, and they may want proof you are telling the truth."

"A lie detector test? Does it hurt?" she said in panic, her eyes becoming as wide as saucers.

"No, no, no," I reassured her, putting my hand on top of hers. "They just put a little wire around your wrist and monitor your heart rate and that sort of thing. If you are telling the truth, you have nothing to be afraid of."

She nodded, looking down at our hands. I wisely slipped mine off hers.

"In the meantime, would you like me to have someone send up a few more calzones? Or maybe you would like some fruit, or something sweet?" I questioned.

"Sure. Thank you," she said, looking up into my face again.

I nodded. "Very well, then." I got up and strode out of the room, telling the guards on the outside to unshackle her and send someone up with some more food.

As I walked back down to my car, I couldn't keep the smile off my face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Even as Anden left the room, I couldn't stop the erratic beating of my heart. I knew it was a ridiculous reaction. But I couldn't help the electric feeling that coursed through me when he'd laid his hand on mine.

A part of me wondered why he was being so kind. Yes, I was a prisoner, but I didn't imagine I would ever be treated so well. I knew for sure that this wasn't the country I grew up in. If the Capitol had not ceased to exist and I was captured by one of them instead, I would surely be an Avox right now. Anden had done the opposite – he didn't want me to shut up. He had hung on my every word, and even when I had cried over my father, his eyes only evoked sympathy.

I carefully folded the foil that the calzone had been in up into a little square and put it on the little table next to my bed. Even foil was a luxury back in District 12. I tried not to think of it that way now, but it was difficult. I had been living in the wilderness for seven years, hopping from place to place, living under the trees and inside worn shacks that had been built who knows when – but I had grown up in twelve, and even though I wouldn't be going back there, it felt like I was going back to a piece of my old life at least. I wondered if eventually they would allow me to go to District 13. But if they didn't even know what it was, how was I supposed to get there? I had obviously been traveling in the opposite direction that I'd needed to with my father.

Suddenly tired from the food, I slipped under the soft comforter and curled up on my side. I thought of many things as my eyelids drifted closed, but I remember with clarity that just as I was falling asleep, the last picture that came to my mind was of Anden, sitting by my side as he listened to my story.

When I woke up, I heard whispering at the end of my bed. It sounded like the two female guards that had been assigned to watch me. I tried to keep my breathing even so they would not be alerted that I was awake.

I let my eyes open a fraction. It was now dark – the curtains were open, but outside the bulletproof glass of the window was black with night.

One of guard's cleared their throat uncomfortably. "Miss?"

I opened my eyes all the way now and glanced at the end of the bed.

The guard straightened from her position. She had been leaning over the end of the bed, calling to me as if she hadn't wanted to get too close to me.

"Miss, the Elector needs you to be ready to leave your room in about a half hour."

I sat up a little. The guards backed up a step. "Why?" I asked, just curious.

"You will learn that when we leave. If you need to shower, now would be the time to do so."

I got up and let them unshackle my wrists. I went into the bathroom and shut the door. I took a hot shower, letting the water beat into my back and loosen my tense muscles. When I got out, I put a simple braid in my hair and got back into the white prisoner's clothes I had been given the night before.

When I walked out of the bathroom, it was time to leave. The guards shackled my wrists and my ankles this time, presumably so I couldn't run. They led me down a white corridor that smelled like the room where I'd first met Anden, heavily of metal and bleach. We took a sharp turn into an elevator that practically blended in with the wall. The guard pushed the button for floor six. I noticed that the number seven was missing from the list of numbers.

When the elevator doors opened, the guards led me to a room five feet in front of the elevator. The floor we had come to had no hallway, and it seemed the room we were going into was the only purpose of the floor. As we walked in, a man in a white collared shirt with a needle and a small, square vial pricked the fingers of each of the guards and scanned the blood that drained into each vial in some sort of machine. I felt my stomach do a somersault, and my head started to feel light.

"You next," the man said, holding out his rubber gloved hand for mine.

I remembered the Games, and how at the reaping they would draw a little bit of blood to make sure no one had skipped. I remember feeling like a little bit of each child was stolen every reaping, as they took our blood and made us sign an oath to die with it.

I didn't hold out my hand for the man. I shook my head and stepped back.

One of the guards tugged on my cuffs. "You will do as he says," she said menacingly. This particular guard was thin and tall, but she was strong. Her cheekbones were sharp and her eyes were large and round, making her look sallow in the face.

I shook my head vehemently.

The man put his hand down and got in front of the guard, who had opened her mouth to spit another order at me. He dropped his head a little and looked over his thick glasses at me.

"I just need to make sure you do not have any diseases. We had a highly infectious and deadly disease run through the country a few years back – don't worry, it's just a pinch, and if you have something we can cure, we will do it. Think of it as free healthcare." He smiled at me and held out his hand expectantly.

I hesitated, but finally gave him my hand. He took it, and I felt the familiar pinch on my index finger as he drew blood. He put the square vial into the little machine and waited for it to scan. A little green light flashed and he grinned up at me.

"Looks like you're healthy as a horse," he said, patting me on the shoulder.

I smiled at him as the guards walked me through the next door. Here was a hallway with doors lining the walls about twenty feet apart. They led me through the first door and into a room with dark glass covering the expanse of two walls and one door on the other side, with a chair right in the middle of the room, and a small machine with wires attached to it.

I assumed correctly the chair was for me.

The guards sat me down and began to hook me up to the wires, ending with a metal crown that circled my head and around my eyebrows. My breathing hitched.

An older woman with wirey blonde hair and a sharp, strict face walked through the door on the other side of the room. Her thin nose pointed down at me. "Hello, Miss Undersee, I am Dr. Sadhwani, and I will be administering your lie detector test today. I can bring in a calming agent if you wish. Our machines are much more advanced than you are probably used to, so if you are nervous, it will be hard to determine if you are lying or telling the truth."

"If they are so advanced, why would it matter if I am nervous or not?" I asked condescendingly.

She frowned. "Please bring me some soma," she said to someone while her eyes bore into me.

I guessed the calming agent she was talking about was this soma. A male guard brought it in a little cup. She handed it to me.

"Put it under your tongue. It is dissolvable, and has no flavor."

I did as she said. They would probably force me to do it if I did not comply anyways.

I felt a warm wave of contentment wash over me. These drugs were like the ones that were rumored to have existed in the Capitol. I had heard there was one that would make you throw up that they gave out at parties so that you could continue eating. I felt a little disgusted with myself for taking a similar drug to manipulate my emotions, but the effects overshadowed my ability to completely hate it.

The wirey old woman walked back through the door, leaving me with my two female guards in the corner of the room.

I heard a faint crackle. "Can you hear me?" Dr. Sadhwani said over an unseen microphone.

"Yes," I said as clearly as I could. I knew I should be more nervous, more angry, but I couldn't find it in me to feel that way. I wondered how I would feel tomorrow after the drug had worn off.

The glass I was facing suddenly lost its tint, and I could see clearly through the glass the doctor, who was behind a desk with a bunch of little lights and buttons on it. Behind her, I spotted Anden. He offered me a small smile.

"Miss Undersee," started Dr. Sadhwani. "I am going to ask you a series of questions. Please answer them truthfully. I will be monitoring your answers. If you are lying, you understand that you will be held accountable to the Republic of America, and you will face trial for treason against our glorious Elector Primo. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I responded, swallowing hard.

She started with easy questions, like what my name was, how old I was, when my birthday was. I heard routine in the doctor's voice as she asked these questions.

"Where were you born?" she asked.

"The hospital in District 12," I answered immediately.

She looked down at her desk. She glanced up at me and proceeded. I assumed that meant they had determined I was telling the truth.

"Did you live in District 12?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Seventeen years."

"And then where did you go?"

"I escaped from District 12 when I was seventeen with my father. We hid in the woods surrounding the districts for seven years."

"Where is your father now?"

"He… he's dead." My voice wavered.

The doctor studied her desk for a moment. I assumed there was some sort of screen I couldn't see. She gave me a moment to compose myself, but evidently she decided I was being honest because she continued.

"Was there anyone else with you?" she asked.

"We came across different people while we hid. We stayed with a girl named Bonnie for a while. She had a broken leg though… eventually it got infected and she didn't make it." I frowned, remembering the girl and her mother. They had been in hiding for about three months before the Capitol had started destroying the districts. They had been from District 7.

"Did any of the people you hid with come with you here?" she inquired.

"No. Just my father."

"Have you been to District 13?"

"No."

"Is the Capitol still the main form of government where you are from?"

"Not that I know of. District 13 took over several years ago from what I understand."

She paused, looking at Anden. He nodded to her.

"Do you have plans to hurt our glorious Elector Primo?" she asked, leaning forward eagerly. Now we were getting to the questions she wanted to know.

"No."

"Did you have knowledge of the Elector before you came to the Republic?"

"No."

"Upon release, do you plan to stay in the Republic?"

Anden leaned forward at this question as if to hear better. My heart thudded at his interest in my answer.

"No," I whispered, wondering if the answer was true myself.

The doctor paused again, and she looked at Anden for permission to continue. He waved his hand at her, silently telling her to go on.

"Regardless whether you leave or stay, will you be loyal to our glorious Elector Primo, and abide by the laws of the Republic of America while you stay here?"

"Yes."

"And when you leave, will you continue to stay loyal and not reveal anything that is of a nature that would commit treason against our Elector?"

I looked up at Anden. "Yes."

Anden smiled as he looked down at the screen on the doctor's desk. She handed a sheet of paper that printed out my results to Anden. He looked it over once before handing it back to her. He walked around her desk and came to the door.

He walked towards me slowly, his smile growing wider with each step.

"So, how did I do?" I asked, feeling some of my courage coming back around the drug.

"You lied to me," he said. He leaned down, putting his hands on his knees and staring directly into my eyes. My heart stuttered. I saw the doctor look up at me curiously out of the corner of my eye.

"You told me you were twenty-four, but you are twenty-five. Why didn't you tell me today was your birthday?" he inquired, his eyes brightening.

"Is that today?" I said in shock.

His smile faltered. "You must have lost track of the days rather easily as you were hiding."

"Yes," I confirmed. "Sometimes we were able to get a newspaper or catch up with someone who was keeping track of the days, but father and I were never very good at it," I admitted.

"Well, Miss Undersee, I would love to take you to dinner for your twenty-fifth birthday." He smiled and waited for me to respond.

"I won't say no to food," I replied, feeling my stomach growl at the thought.

"Good," he said, straightening and tugging on the lapels of his suit coat. He walked out of the room and allowed the guards to take my wires off and escort me back to my room to change.

I wasn't entirely sure if the excitement I felt was because I would be eating better than I had in years, or because I would be having dinner with the glorious Elector.

**If you like this story, please review, favorite and follow!**

**A.R. Darcangelo**


	6. Chapter 6

**If you've made it to this chapter, thank you! The most exciting part of the book is about to start. The past six chapters have set the foundation for the rest of the story, and I am very excited to start what I dreamed up in my head.**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 6:

When I get back to my room, I see a beautiful dress draped over the bed. It is a deep red with beading on the bodice, and has a sweetheart neckline. I immediately know who it's from before I read the folded letter that is laid on top of it.

_Dear Madge,_

_I thought of you when I saw this through a window as I was getting my own clothes tailored this afternoon. I hope if all goes well, you will be able to wear it tonight._

_Anden_

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, realizing that he had someone bring the dress up before I had even taken my lie detector test.

I shook my head as if to shake away my feelings. I'd known this man for less than two days, and I was acting like a silly school girl with a crush. The first boy I'd seen in good condition in seven years, and I was falling all over myself.

I straightened my spine and laid the note on the dress, and walked over to the wire rack where my tattered white dress was hanging. It really didn't look that bad – only the ends were frayed, but whoever had cleaned it had done an excellent job, because for the most part, it looked brand new. I took it off the hanger and went into the bathroom to change while my guards waited outside. I took out my braid and let my wavy blonde hair fall over my shoulders, and slapped my cheeks a few times to bring some color into them.

When I walked out of the bathroom, my guards looked at me nervously, sensing my renewed boldness. I felt much more like myself now that I had been deemed an ally to this Republic of America. I only hoped it meant I could go to District 13 and start over – start a life with the people and country I knew – except that a part of me understood that it wouldn't be the same. It was a new country with new rules. I could only hope that the rumors were true that it was strong and flourishing.

The guards led me out of the building for the first time. The air was warm and sweet. I could almost sense a bit of saltiness in the air, as if we were close to the ocean. I had been to the ocean once with my father while we'd been in hiding. It had been cold and rainy that day, and the area we had been in had turned swampy.

I got into the back of a black car. It had been forever since I'd seen a car – even in the Capitol, the most common mode of transportation was the trains that ran through the city. The last time I had seen a car was when new peacekeepers had started running military vehicles through District 12 as they tightened security the last few months before the last Games. I had never been in one before today. I gripped my seat the whole trip.

The car stopped in front of a large glass building. The guards led me to an elevator. This time, they didn't step in with me. They pushed the button to floor number eleven and let the doors close me in.

I noticed again there was no number seven.

* * *

I tugged on my collar for the one hundredth time as I waited for Madge to arrive. I had believed her story –so when I had seen the red dress in the window of the ladies shop this afternoon as my tailor poked and prodded me with pins, I had sent an assistant to purchase it. It was a coincidence that it was her birthday – I had already planned on taking her to dinner. Something about this girl from District 12 intrigued me.

A part of me felt guilty. My feelings for June were still strong. Ten years of chasing after her didn't stop me from wanting her after scarcely a day of meeting another girl. I knew that some of my intrigue may be a reaction to my recent break up – but I couldn't help feeling like regardless of the circumstances of my personal life, I would have been drawn to Madge. Not just physically, though I do not deny that I think she is beautiful, but her bravery and the bold spirit that I knew was under all the pain and fear was so attractive. To live in an unpopulated area for seven years while her country was at war was a terrifying thought. I couldn't fathom how she managed it.

I heard the elevator bell ring as it approached my floor. I sat down, crossing one leg over my knee. Then I sat up straight, both feet on the floor. I changed my mind again, and stood up, standing behind my chair.

It was too late to change my position again, as the elevator doors opened and Madge walked through. At first I was floored by her, as I was every time I saw her. Then I frowned in disappointment when I saw she was wearing the white dress she had been found in instead of the red one I had bought for her today.

She smiled as I looked at her up and down. It was a swift rejection. "Miss Undersee," I said formally, walking around the table to pull out her chair for her.

"Anden," she said, taking a seat. "Or should I call you Elector?"

"Anden, please," I replied, sitting down in my own chair. Two servants came through a curtain draped over the far wall, carrying salad plates and champagne. They set our food down and put our napkins over our laps, and left us for the first course. I smiled at Madge's apparent discomfort at the first class treatment.

"I assume it has been a while since you enjoyed a meal this way. Did you ever have a meal like this with your father? You said he was the mayor of your… district, correct?" I asked as I speared some lettuce.

"Yes," Madge answered, glancing at the three forks on her left. "But only once or twice in the Capitol when we had meetings with mayors from other districts."

"Work your way in," I said, grinning.

"What?" she asked, annoyed.

I pointed to her line of forks. "Start from your left and work your way in."

"Oh," she responded, blushing furiously. She picked up the leftmost fork and took a delicate bite of her salad.

"So, congratulations on passing your first Republic lie detector test," I toasted, holding up my champagne glass.

"My first? Will there be more to come?" she said, holding onto her glass, but not raising it in the air.

"I hope not," I said, clinking my glass against hers although it was still sitting on the table. I sipped the champagne delicately.

"What happens now?" she probed, getting right to the point. Her eyes were serious, and her mouth was in a hard line. What had changed since the last time I saw her?

I pierced a cucumber with my fork and chewed it thoughtfully before answering. "Well, after the Senators receive the report that you passed, we are going to investigate this District 13. Then, after we have deemed it is safe for you to return, we will see to it that you get there."

Her eyes widened dramatically. "You aren't going to invade it, are you? Or start a war? I have friends – "

"I have no intentions of starting any kind of riot in District 13," I interrupted. "Unless they give me a reason to think they are going to cause trouble in my country, nothing will happen." My voice lowered and softened. "But I will not send you back until I know that I am sending you somewhere where you will be safe."

Her face visibly relaxed and her eyes lowered. She almost looked ashamed. "Thank you," she whispered. So. She was ashamed. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

"So, is red not your color?" I asked curiously, sticking my fork into a cherry tomato.

Her head snapped up. Her cheeks reddened again. "Red is fine."

"Oh." I wasn't sure what to say to that. Her back straightened and I plainly saw her boldness return.

As she stuffed a cucumber into her mouth, I took the occasion to speak. "Madge, I know the past few days have probably been confusing, and more importantly, overwhelming. I know a bit what that's like. I feel like it's a part of being the Elector every day. So I think we should clear something up. Perhaps it would make you feel more at ease with me?" I inquired, resting my elbows on the table and placing the tips of my fingers against each other.

Madge swallowed hard and put her fork down. "Okay," she permitted after taking a sip of champagne.

"I want you to trust me, Madge. I think I have tried rather hard to earn that in just the past twenty four hours. I hope we can establish some sort of friendship. Regardless of what we may find in District 13, I promise you, no harm will come to you, or to your friends. I will keep you safe," I promised. I looked directly into her blue eyes.

She just stared back for a moment, considering what I said.

"So, friends?" I asked, holding out my hand to her, waiting for her to shake it. I offered her a smile.

She smiled back, revealing dimpled cheeks. "Friends," agreed, shaking my hand.

The servants came back then, serving us prime rib and red-skin garlic mashed potatoes. We ate in comfortable silence.

"Anden?" Madge asked as she finished off the last of her potatoes.

"Yes?" I said as I delicately cut another piece of meat. She had finished hers about ten minutes ago.

"Why do your elevators skip the number seven?"

I laughed. "Before the Republic of America was erected, the number seven was considered a lucky number in the United States of America. During the seventh World War, the U.S. fell, and the Republic was born, as well as your Capitol. Or as we knew it back then, the Colonies. So it quickly became our unlucky number."

"Well, that's rather superstitious," she remarked.

"Yes, but just in case, we wouldn't want to jinx anything, would we?" I said, grinning.

She returned my smile. "No, I suppose you wouldn't."

**Please review, favorite, and follow!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you, guys! As few as there are, the reviews have been great. Thanks, LilaJune, TheDerpst3r, and Guest. I am glad I can give a voice to Anden and Madge - it's nice to know people are interested in the idea! **

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 7:

In the back of my mind, I heard a distant boom, like fireworks. But all I could see was the ocean, gray and infinite. I had always dreamed it would be blue. And the sand warm and white – not cold and brown like it was under my feet.

A part of me knew I was dreaming. The booming got louder, and I wished I could change the dream, just for a second, so that I could see the ocean blue and the sand white. Gradually, it did change. The gray water turned a light green, and then started to grow darker, until finally, it was a turquoise blue. The sand was still cold, but it turned from dark brown to white. Why was it so cold?

Another boom.

"Wake up! Wake _up_!" a faraway voice screamed.

But I wanted to keep dreaming. I wanted to dream until the sand turned so hot I could hardly stand it.

Suddenly, there was heat. But the heat grew in my face, on my left cheek. Why was my cheek hot? It started to sting.

My eyes flew open. "Finally!" the guard with the sallow face screamed above me. "The Elector will have my head if I don't get you out of here! Come on!"

As she yanked on my arm to get me out of bed, I realized she had slapped my cheek in the effort to wake me up. I rubbed it carefully as she tore through my door and raced down the hall with my wrist tightly shackled to her hand.

Instead of taking the elevator, the guard opened the door to the stairwell and practically carried me downstairs. Another boom rattled the building. Dust drifted from the ceiling.

"What's happening?" I cried out as she pulled me along.

"Terrorist attack," the guard answered, pulling me too fast around a corner. The tip of my slipper caught on the edge of the railing and I tripped, falling down five stairs before the guard caught me.

"Jeeze, you want to die?" She picked me up unceremoniously. I would have bruises all over my legs by tomorrow, and my lip felt fat.

We finally got to the end of the stairwell. We flew out the door and into a muddy colored vehicle. As soon as the door shut, the driver slammed on the accelerator. My head hit the back of the seat hard.

"Here, change your clothes," the guard ordered, throwing a pile of clothes my way. I clumsily pulled on a pair of jeans that fit perfectly, and a long sleeved navy sweater that hung a little on my thin frame. I pulled on a pair of sneakers that were peeking out of the backpack she was carrying.

"Tell the Elector she's here," I heard the driver say into an earpiece.

My eyes were still a little fuzzy, but my mind was awake. The car we were in had small windows, bulletproof from the look of it, and we were whizzing past the city at an alarming rate.

"Where are we going?" I asked, expecting an answer from no one in particular.

Both the driver and the guard ignored me. It was probably only five minutes later though that we came to a halt in front of a strip of sidewalk with a hole in the middle of it. There was a fence around the hole and only one opening. People on the street were running into the hole. The way their heads bobbed up and down a few times before disappearing revealed to me that there was another stairwell.

The guard pulled me out of the car by my upper arm. I did a better job of keeping up with her this time, only stumbling once or twice, but managing to stay upright while flying down the stairs.

When we got to the bottom, there was a large crowd of people awaiting the arrival of a train. I saw the end of the last one disappearing into a thin tunnel just as we entered. The guard led me through the crowd, still tightly holding onto my arm, muttering to herself.

It had been almost two weeks since my lie detector test. I had seen Anden every few days – after all, he was the leader of the country – and I found myself looking forward to his visits. He had set me up in an apartment in Los Angeles close to his, and even though I was no longer in handcuffs, I was still assigned a guard. I wished that the sickly woman currently pulling me through the crowd wasn't the Republic's first choice as my babysitter, but she was doing her job. Anden had hinted that even though the lie detector test had proved that I was an innocent in a difficult situation, the advisors did not want me sent back to District 13. He hadn't told me why, but I guessed it had something to do with the fact that I had grown close with him and had seen some of the technology the Republic used. If I was sent back, who knows who I would tell, and what kind of difficulties that would cause? Every excuse in the book had kept me from leaving my apartment since then.

I was grateful that Anden did everything he could to keep me comfortable. He had truly become a good friend, and I was surprised at how easy-going and kind he was. When you think of a leader, those aren't the first qualities you think of.

As we got to a thinner part of the crowd, I looked up and saw him. He was in Elector-mode, and even though I knew a kind-hearted person was behind the façade, he was all business and direction at the moment.

His profound green eyes locked with mine, and he visibly relaxed.

"Madge," he greeted, holding a hand out towards a room made completely of the brick of the tunnel except for the door, which was bulletproof glass. One of the discussions we had had in my apartment was the difference between regular glass and bulletproof glass. He showed me that if you look at the glass at just the right angle, you can see the transparent red plastic layers in between the thick pleated glass. I studied the glass now, counting the layers of plastic and glass in my head.

I caught Anden's eye and he smiled, knowing what I was doing. Suddenly, he frowned. In the better lighting of the room, he could probably clearly see my fat, bloody lip. He lifted his hand and tilted my chin up with two fingers. "What happened?"

"I fell," I said honestly.

"Hmmm." He glanced at my guard, who had her hand on the gun resting on her hip.

"It was an accident," I clarified, not really knowing why I was defending her.

Abruptly, another loud and earth-shaking boom rattled the tunnel. Anden placed his palm against the wall to keep steady. I gripped onto his arm.

"Howe, is the next train here yet?!" Anden yelled.

The soldier named Howe turned and cupped his hand over his mouth so Anden could hear. "Five minutes!"

"I want her on that train!" he hollered back, gesturing to me.

"Yes, sir – "another large boom sounded. This time, dust fell from the ceiling, and shortly after about a dozen bricks fell directly into the crowd.

Anden moved away from me. "GET EVERYONE AGAINST THE WALL. DON'T STAND RIGHT NEXT TO THE TRACK. YOU, THERE – YES, YOU! GET SOME MEDICS OVER THERE. I WANT-" Anden's bellowing stopped as another explosion caused the underground tunnel to shake. More bricks began to fall.

A soldier ran over to us. "Sir, we have to get you out of here," the soldier declared, waving a few other soldiers in his direction.

"Not until everyone is on that train," Anden replied conclusively.

"But sir – " The blast caused all of us to fall over. I landed on my hip. I didn't realize I bruised it so badly until I fell on it, and I cried out at the impact.

I felt Anden's arm wrap around my waist. I put my arm around his shoulders.

Dust filled the air; I couldn't see anything if my life depended on it – which at the moment, it did. Anden and I shuffled through the cloud of dust. Another explosion sounded above us. More dust settled in the air.

I felt something rumble underneath my feet. Was it the train? I whipped my head back and forth desperately, trying to see something, _anything_.

A long, crackling noise startled me. I felt Anden wrap his other arm behind my knees. He held me close as he ran forward. The sound of brick hitting cement roared in my ears. I felt my back hit the brick wall, and Anden leaned forward, covering my body with his.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the rumbling and screeching of cement clashing ceased. Anden looked up from his crouched position, completely unscathed except for a small cut by his eye and a layer of white covering his dark clothes.

"Anden? You can put me down now," I said shakily.

He put me down gently, keeping his arm around my waist for a moment to make sure I could stand by myself, and then let go. I looked up into his face, caught in his fixated gaze.

He broke away from my gaze for a moment. His face transformed to horror. I turned to see what he was looking at.

In front of us was a wall of bricks, only about five feet from where we had been standing. On our left was the brick wall of the tunnel and on our right was another wall, where the train came in. Either there were no sounds to hear from the other side, or the wall of brick was so thick that there was no way we could pick up any noise.

We were trapped.


	8. Chapter 8

**I just reached 500 views with this story - thank you so much to those of you who have read it! That's way more than I could've hoped for! I hope you all like this chapter.**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

**P.S. Guest - I will definitely consider putting that into the story, but it will have to be a little bit later! Anden and Madge are a little alone right now ;)**

Chapter 8:

I don't know how long we both stood there, staring at the wall of bricks, but it was Madge who snapped me out of my reverie.

"Anden?" she whispered softly.

I looked down at her. Her eyes weren't wide with fear. They only held faith – faith that I had a plan, and that I was going to fix this. Her bottom lip was dark red and full from bleeding. She leaned on one hip, as if weight on the other one was hurting her.

The problem was I didn't have a plan. I had run in the opposite direction that the bricks were falling, and although I had expected some soldiers and even some civilians to follow, we were the only ones who made it to the train tunnel. I couldn't even be sure that there were people on the other side.

I glanced down the dark tunnel. I only had a small light that would emit from my cell phone, but who knows how long the battery would last with the light on? And what if we could get out of here? I needed it to work so I could call for help.

The light we did have was coming through a crack in the ceiling where some bricks had fallen through. Whoever was dropping bombs had hit their target, and had taken out Los Angeles's safest subway station that led to the evacuation centers.

I stared back down at Madge. She was holding herself on one foot now.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, concerned.

"My hip just hurts. I think I bruised it when I fell down the stairs the first time." She chuckled without humor.

"Let me see," I said, putting one hand on her waist to hold her upright. I prodded at her hip with my fingertips. She winced.

"Does that hurt?" I inquired, poking the same spot again.

She flinched. "Yeah," she hissed through her teeth.

"Hopefully it's not fractured. Do you think you can walk?" I said with uncertainty.

"I think so, just not very quickly," she admitted, looking up at me apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," I said quickly. "I think the only way to go is down this tunnel. I don't know if anyone on the other side can get to us for at least a couple of days, since they would have to remove the bricks. There are usually some safe houses down the train tunnels where food and water is stored in case of an accident or during evacuations. We'll head that way and hopefully we'll run into one."

"Anden?"

My eyes met hers. For the first time she expressed fear. "Did all those people die?" she whispered.

I put my head down. "I don't know. I hope not."

She nodded. "Would you be able to help me walk? Maybe the more I walk, the easier it will get."

"Yes, of course." I eased my hand around her upper back, just below her shoulder blades. She put her hand on my shoulder, and we began to walk into the dark channel.

As we walked, I glanced at my phone every so often, watching the minutes tick by. Madge had not said much for the past forty-five minutes or so, but she was walking much better on her own now, and I was thanking my lucky stars that her hip must have only been bruised. I was however growing concerned that we had not come upon a safe room yet. Usually there were several up and down the tunnels, but as I used my hand on one wall to feel my way through and Madge used hers on the other, neither of us had come by the steel door that would lead to an even lower underground room.

I heard a squeak and a splash.

"Madge?" I asked, blindly looking towards her in the dark.

"I'm here," she said, only about five feet away from me. "I just stepped in some water. Are there pipes down here?"

I sighed in relief. "Yes. The pipes around the safe rooms aren't as well put together and it's not a regular maintenance job, so they leak. We must be close."

"Hallelujah," I heard Madge whisper. I chuckled in response. The tension in the air felt a little thinner as we continued feeling our way through.

"So. Anden." I could hear Madge's grin.

"So. Madge," I responded with a smile.

"Tell me something I don't know about you," she said.

"Something you don't know about me? I think you know quite a bit," I commented, raising an eyebrow that she couldn't see.

"Humor me. I'm bored out of my mind over here," she whined.

I laughed. "Sorry to break it to you, sweetheart, but I am not all that interesting."

"Did you just call me 'sweetheart'?" she said, her voice a mask of intrigue.

I coughed. "My apologies. A slip of the tongue," I said, blushing. I was, for the first time, very grateful it was so dark down here.

She laughed. The sound was soft and pleasant. "I didn't ask you to apologize. I wasn't offended. Did they not teach you how to woo a lady in How to Run a Country one-oh-one?" she teased.

"I wasn't trying to woo you," I said defensively. "Let's go back to your first question. What do you want to know about me?"

"Hmmm… Well, I know you were born to lead. You like calzones. Your favorite color is black. You – "

"My favorite color isn't black," I interrupted. "When did I tell you that?"

"You didn't. But you have all the money in the world and you don't ever wear anything but black. If it wasn't your favorite, wouldn't you grow tired of it and wear something else?" she said persuasively.

"That's perceptive," I complimented. "But no. Black goes with everything. And it's… smart looking. I guess it looks more formal than most colors, so that's what I wear."

"You don't like to look informal?" Madge asked curiously.

"I never really have a chance to," I admitted.

"What about when you're at home, just sitting in front of the television, or reading a good book? You must go on vacation sometimes as well," she said, exasperated.

"Not really," I replied, laughing without humor. "When you are the leader of a country, everyone needs your attention all the time. When they found you, I was just settling in to go to sleep, and someone knocked on my door. They were all freaking out because some strange girl they had no record of stumbled upon one of our most secure weaponries. I always have business to attend to."

She was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know they woke you to come see me."

I waved a hand at her. "Please don't apologize, it's not your fault. I am glad that I got to you before one of the senators did. They would not have been so kind."

I heard her smile in her words. "Do you pride yourself on your kindness to the rebels of the country?"

I thought of Day as she said that. And even June, when she was an enemy of the Republic for a few short weeks after rescuing Day when he was to be executed. "I have a long record of that actually… I suppose I just like to see the good in people. I _want_ to trust people," I confided.

"For what it's worth, I think you are rather good at that," she whispered, almost so I couldn't hear.

"Thank you," I whispered back. I had almost slowed to a stop. Suddenly the electricity between her and I felt like a thick wire, running from her side of the tunnel to mine, awakening feelings that only one other person had made me feel.

Madge cleared her throat. "So, you never have time for a –" a loud, echoing thud vibrated from her side of the tunnel. "Anden! I think I found it!"

"Where?" I said, pushing off my wall and reaching out for her in the dark.

I found her hand, and she curled her cool fingers around mine. I felt for the wall with my other hand. I slapped at the cool, smooth wall in front of me. It echoed again.

"This is it!" I said excitedly. I felt for the handle. It was low, almost to the ground. I twisted it sideways, hearing a small click as it unlatched, and I swung it open. Immediately, a light turned on to reveal a short staircase leading into a small room.

I turned to Madge. "Do you think you can walk down the stairs?"

She grimaced. "I can make it," she said bravely.

"I can carry you," I offered, smiling at her. A part of me felt bold, probably in my excitement, but another part felt uncomfortable – and not because it was Madge, but because I wasn't sure I was ready to feel the way I was beginning to.

She twisted her hands in front of her uncertainly for a moment. She opened her mouth a few times and closed it before she finally spoke. "No, it's okay, I'll be fine." She took a step down the stairs, and carefully let her left hip and leg follow.

On the second step, however, she lost her balance slightly as she moved that hip. I grabbed her by the waist as she grasped at the wall. Our eyes locked and she laughed awkwardly. "I guess I could use the help."

I grinned widely at her before carefully tucking my arm under her knees and wrapping the other arm around her back. I carried her down the rest of the stairs, my body buzzing with the feeling of her proximity.

As we entered the room, another automatic light turned on, and revealed a small kitchen in the left corner, along with three cots squished together on the right side of the room, all with airtight plastic wrapped blankets and pillows.

Madge coughed, bringing me back to her. "Oh, sorry," I said, blushing. I set her down carefully on her feet. She immediately went over to one of the cots and ripped open the plastic and unfolded the soft blue blanket, wrapping it around her thin shoulders.

I walked into the kitchen, opening the cupboards to see what food was stored. There were some canned green beans, several cans of ravioli, and one can of peaches. I felt the cans, and upon contact, I decided that the peaches were probably going to be the easiest to eat because they were meant to be cold. There was no stove in the safe room because it was too dangerous to have anything gas powered this far underground without a direct escape route, so the ravioli would have to be eaten cold.

"This is a far cry from my birthday dinner," Madge commented from behind me.

I turned and saw her smiling teasingly at me. I handed her the can of peaches.

"Mmmm, I love peaches," she said, popping the top open. She gulped some of the juice and let a large slice fall into her mouth. As she chewed, she bent down and looked into the cupboard.

"That's the last one, I'm afraid," I said, grabbing a can of ravioli for myself.

"Oh," she said, her cheeks reddening. "I'm sorry, did you want some?" she asked, offering me the can of peaches.

I shook my head. "No, of course not. How long has it been since you've had peaches? Seven years?"

She smiled. "I've had a lot of them over the past two weeks actually. But before that, yes, about that long."

I grinned, popping open my own can of ravioli. "I'm sure there are more cans around here somewhere, but I'm too hungry to look right now." I opened a few drawers, looking for a utensil. There were some plastic forks in one. I handed one to her and took one for myself.

We sat on the cots, kicking off our shoes and folding our legs underneath us.

Madge beamed at me. "See? This is what I'm talking about. Your relaxation time. You have to loosen up sometime. And wear something besides black."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, because my relaxation time is dependent on what color I'm wearing."

She smiled, popping the last peach into her mouth. She looked around the room, remaining silent.

"What, no more questions?" I asked, amused.

She glanced back at me. "Yeah. What now?"

I laughed. "There should be a few flashlights in here somewhere. We should be able to move forward now that we can see and find an escape ladder that takes us above ground. Since we have found the safe room, I think it should be relatively close. But I think I want to rest for a bit. I'm exhausted."

"Me too," she agreed. She lowered her eyes, biting her lip.

"What's wrong?" I prodded.

"Anden… do you have any family? I have never heard you speak about them." She looked up at me through her lashes.

I was surprised at the turn in conversation. "Yes… Well, I did. My mother died during childbirth. I have no siblings… And as you may have guessed, my father passed away, which is why I am Elector."

She nodded. "I'm sorry. Were you close with your father?"

I tilted my head to study her. "Sometimes… the Elector is very busy, as you know."

"Yes," she acknowledged. She started twisting her blonde hair around her finger. "I was just thinking of my father… I don't know. I'm sorry."

I reached forward and took her hand in mine. "Madge, never be sorry for missing your father. If your father was a good man, I can't imagine how much more painful it would be to lose him. I knew my father was going to die, you know. I knew he was sick… and I was with him when he died. I know how that feels. And my father wasn't always a good man."

Madge looked into my eyes, and in that moment she looked so vulnerable with the tears that had begun to form. I let her eyes captivate me, warming me to my core.

Before I had a chance to think about what was happening, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine. Her lips were soft and her cheeks were wet, and I wanted to deepen the kiss. But my muscles were frozen, locked in time as my confused feelings tormented me. Before I was ready for her to pull away, she did. She stayed close for a moment, leaving her eyes on mine. Her blue eyes pierced every part of me so I was helpless.

Abruptly, she backed away and lay down on the farthest cot from me, curling up in her blanket, facing the other direction.

It took every ounce of strength in that moment to not pull her back to me and just hold her.

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

As tiring as the day was, I couldn't sleep. My lips were still tingling from Madge's kiss.

A part of me felt guilty. I had just left a relationship a few weeks ago, and I knew a large part of my heart was still in love with June. But a smaller, but very loud – if that's the right word – part of my heart was starting to grow fond of Madge. Her nearness made my heart pound erratically, and I knew we couldn't go back to the way things were. The memory of the kiss would haunt my dreams and nights for a long time to come. I had never considered anyone but June as a contender for the portion of my soul that longed to love someone, and be loved in return. I had no one – and my loneliness was striking me harder than ever.

I stiffened as I heard Madge roll over in her sleep, breathing deeply. I dared to look over my shoulder at her.

She was sleeping soundly, her lips slightly parted. Her hair was tangled around her face, and although I was always so attracted to June's perfection, I was even more enthralled by Madge's mussed state. Perhaps it was because I felt as though I didn't have to try so hard to be with her – no matter what that meant. I had always had to try so hard with June… but with Madge, there was no _try_. It just _was_.

I found myself smiling, wanting to explore this new relationship with her. Could it be possible? She wanted to go back to District 13, and that was a major part of my everyday job, making sure it was safe for her to go. But could I convince her not to go? If things continued as they were, would she consider staying in the Republic? Would she stay with _me_?

I knew these were dangerous questions to ask, but I couldn't help myself. My attraction to her was too great to ignore.

Madge sighed deeply again, and this time, her eyes fluttered open. She didn't look at me right away. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and pulled the blanket that was draped over her up to her chin.

When her eyes met mine, they were surprised, then embarrassed. She coughed softly before she spoke.

"Hi," she said, looking at me through her lashes.

"Good morning," I replied, pushing up onto my elbow and resting my head on my hand.

"What time is it?" she asked, stretching her legs out.

I glanced at my phone. The battery was still half full thankfully. "It's nearly five."

"Five?" she asked incredulously. "When did you wake up?"

"I haven't slept," I admitted.

"Why?"

"I am used to getting very little to no sleep at all." I stretched my arm over my head. "I'm sorry if I woke you. You can go back to sleep."

She shook her head. "I'm awake now." She sat up, bringing the blanket tight around her shoulders. She looked at me impishly.

My face started to burn. "What is it?" I asked uncertainly. I didn't know what I would say if she brought up the kiss. _Don't worry, I won't bring it up again._ No, I didn't want her to think I was disinterested._ It was nice._ That's it?_ Can we do it again?_

"I'm hungry," she confessed, sliding her legs underneath her.

"Oh," I said, surprised. "I'll get you something."

She opened her mouth to protest, but I was already up and walking over to the tiny kitchen. I searched through the cupboards, finding some plastic cups, more cans of ravioli, and finally, I found a stash of canned pears underneath the sink. I took two cans and two cups of water over to her. She nearly drank the cup of water in one gulp, and started in on her pears before I had taken a sip of my water.

She spotted me staring at her. She put down her can and began to chew more slowly. Heat rose to her cheeks. "Anden, I – "

"Please," I said, holding a hand up. "Don't say anything. You'll ruin the moment."

She looked shocked for a minute, but then a small smile began to spread over her rosy face.

We both burst out laughing, breaking all the tension in the room.

"I'm sorry," I chuckled, wiping tears from my eyes. "I just… I didn't mind all that much. I didn't want you to apologize."

"That's a relief," she replied, still giggling between her words.

I tipped the can of pears into my mouth, letting a slice fall. I chewed thoughtfully and comfortably. "Madge, did you ever… I know you were young when you left District 12. But have you ever had a boyfriend?"

She looked surprised and a little embarrassed at my question. But she answered without hesitating. "No, I haven't. I… I had never kissed anyone either. I thought maybe it was terrible." She squirmed a little.

"Oh," I said, taken aback at her admission. "Well it's nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn't sound like you've had a lot of opportunity to explore that type of relationship."

She swirled the pears in her can. "Anden, before you asked me to stop, I was going to apologize because… well, aren't you seeing your head of security? Agent Iparis?"

I looked at her, stunned. She didn't miss a thing. "No, I am not seeing Agent Iparis apart from my duties as Elector. But I have. I did for a few years."

She nodded. "Okay, good. I felt guilty… I wasn't really thinking. It wasn't until afterward that I thought about it, and I would never want to do something like that. It wasn't my intention."

I smiled. "Thank you. I think that is very kind of you to think of her. But I assure you, we are no longer seeing each other."

She smiled back, still a little self-conscious. "How long ago did you date her?"

Now this was an uncomfortable question. I cleared my throat. "Perhaps a little less than three weeks ago we ended things. I think I always knew that she wasn't… I had hoped things would work out."

"Why didn't they?" she asked in innocent curiosity.

I took a deep breath. "She didn't love me," I nearly whispered.

Madge's eyes became wide as saucers. "Oh, Anden, I – I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine, Madge, really. I wouldn't have answered if it was too personal of a question. I haven't spoken to anyone about it… talking about it now makes it feel better already." I tried to smile at her, though I doubt it looked much like one.

She stared down at the last of her pears as the tension returned to the room. I decided we needed to get off the subject.

"So, are you feeling up to walking again? Is your hip better?" I inquired.

She stretched out her leg, rolling her hip around in its socket. "Yes, actually. Much better. I think I should be fine. You said we were probably close to an exit?"

"Yes, they are usually rather close to the safe rooms. I'll pack us some food just in case and we can go."

I got up and packed the last few cans of pears, a couple cans of ravioli, and filled up a couple cups of water. Madge and I held onto those as we left, taking small sips to make it last longer.

We walked along the tunnel, holding onto the sides again. This time we were feeling for a ladder.

"Madge, out of curiosity, how did you get all the way to Los Angeles? I know you said you went through a lot of woods and deserts, but Los Angeles is so populated. You didn't realize you had reached civilization until you got to the middle of a large city?" I said incredulously.

She laughed. "Of course not. I jumped a train in the desert. It stopped in Los Angeles. From there I followed the train track for about a day until I got caught."

I nodded. "That makes sense."

"Have you found out much about District 13 yet?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice nonchalant.

As a matter of fact, it was taking up all my time. I had found out District 13 was part of the Colonies, but other than hiding the fact that they were keeping the war from the Republic and that we were ultimately dealing with different people than we were ten years ago, it was relatively safe. The crime rate was low, and from the few spies we'd sent in over the past couple weeks, the general population was happy and healthy. There were no neighborhoods that were unshapen and broken. She would probably be welcomed back, and she would start to live a safe and happy life.

I swallowed. "Yes, actually. Everything seems to be in order… and just as safe as you heard when you were heading there with your father."

She stopped and I bumped into her. "It is? So why haven't I been sent there yet?" she said, her voice accusing.

"I told you it would take some time to get you there. We can't just waltz in and drop you off," I replied softly.

"Before I came to the Republic I was just going to _waltz_ _right_ _in_ _there_," she replied haughtily in a poor impression of my voice. "Why can't you just take me to the border and I'll go in?"

"It doesn't work like that, Madge," I answered, wishing I could see her expression in the dark of the tunnel.

I could sense her stewing. She was definitely angry. "You know, you can't just keep me locked up until you figure things out. I am not even a citizen of your country. You have no right to – "

"Because you are _not_ a citizen of the country, you would normally be in a high security prison until we could figure out what to do with you. Yet I have given you a comfortable place to stay since day one because I felt sorry for you – " I interjected. I was quickly interrupted.

"You felt sorry for me? Is that why you've been so nice? Why bother, Anden? I don't need your sympathy," she said icily. I heard her stomp away.

I panicked, not able to see her. I tried to rush forward, holding one hand out to feel for her. Her footsteps faded.

"Madge!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the walls. She didn't answer.

I kept moving forward, pushing off the wall and holding out my hands in front of me to keep from running into anything.

Within a minute, I slipped on a small puddle of water and crashed to the ground, the small pack of food breaking my fall. I slipped trying to get up, twisting my wrist as I fell on it ungracefully.

"Madge?" I called from the ground. I slowly got to my feet, cradling my wrist in my other hand. "Madge, I'm sorry!"

Suddenly a dim, morning light showered in a small circle about fifty feet ahead of me. I blinked at the sudden brightness and ran forward, this time hitting my head on an unseen object.

Black covered my vision as I quickly lost consciousness.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for reading! Big thanks to all those who reviewed - LilaJune, your reviews are always so sweet - HungerGamesGirl12134, thank you so much! Day should be making a cameo! - Guest, I don't think Madge will fall in love with Daniel, but he will show up sometime :)**

**Happy Easter and Resurrection Sunday!**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 10:

I didn't mean to hit him so hard. Really, I didn't.

I was currently trying to determine the best way to drag Anden from where he was on the concrete floor to the small bit of light shining through the ceiling about twenty feet ahead. I wouldn't be able to pull him up the ladder, but at least he would be able to see when he woke up.

I set down the loose pipe I had grabbed a hold of when I had run out of Anden's reach. I put my palms under his arms and shuffled him around so he was facing the other direction. Just that small bit of movement winded me. I set him down as gently as I could while I took a break.

I huffed and puffed, trying to decide if it was worth it. He had done so much for me over the past few weeks, but really, what was he hoping to gain by keeping me holed up in an apartment with a soldier watching me seven days a week and twenty four hours a day?

My mind momentarily imagined that he didn't want to let me go because he had developed some of the same feelings that I had… But that couldn't be it.

Even when I had momentarily lost myself in my feelings and kissed him, he was only polite. But I could sense there was some hesitancy. After he told me about Agent Iparis, I knew why. He probably still loved her.

I mentally kicked myself for that. We had laughed it off, but still! The memory brought a warm blush to my cheeks.

I glanced down at Anden. Although the sleep he was in now was forced, he looked even younger than normal, with his face relaxed and his hair falling onto his forehead.

I took a deep breath and reached to pull him back again before my mind could get ahead of itself.

I yanked him back, a few inches at a time, until we were both covered in a pool of light. I could see the blue sky above us, calling my name. I placed one foot on the ladder bolted to the tunnel wall, and wiggled it with a free hand, testing its weight endurance.

When I determined it was safe to climb, I put the other foot on the first step and began scaling up the tunnel wall. When I reached the very top, I poked my head out, scanning the area.

We were in a field of grass – well, mostly yellow grass. The sun was warm, and there was minimal tree cover where we were, but up ahead I could see a thicket of trees, lined up in rows. They looked purposefully grown that way, one right after the other, perfectly spaced apart. The wind blew and the faint scent of oranges wafted across my face. Mmmm.

I almost stepped up the last few legs of the ladder, but I couldn't help looking down one more time. Anden was still out cold, one arm behind his head and the other splayed out to the side the way I'd left him.

I warred with myself. I couldn't just leave him like that.

But he would wake and find me gone, and maybe he would send out a search party for me. But I was fast – definitely something I had developed over the past seven years. I would reach District 13 before they could get a trail. That is, if I didn't get lost.

Anden knew _exactly_ where District 13 was. If he came with me…

He wouldn't do that – no. He would drag me by my hair back to the Republic to "keep me safe."

As I stared down at his young face, pondering all the horrible things he had probably seen, my heart softened. I couldn't hold that against him. If he was a little overprotective, he had reason to be. But if I gave him the opportunity, perhaps he would be willing to see me off if he was the one to do it. It would need to be on my terms, and right now, I had the power to do that.

I sighed as I ducked my head back through the hole and slid down the rest of the ladder. I had dropped my cup of water back when I had grabbed hold of the loose pipe, but I had other ways of waking someone up other than throwing cold water in their face.

I pulled the cell phone out of Anden's pocket. I turned on the back light, but there was a lock with a required password. Drat. His ringtone probably would have woken him up, especially since he probably was expecting a call any time now from his security team to rescue us. Or him, more specifically.

I guess I would just have to try the old school way. I sat down next to his head, tucking my legs underneath me. I leaned down close to his ear. I screamed.

Anden's body jerked, his eyes not completely opening, but I had done my job. Blinking furiously, he sat up, whipping his torso back and forth, looking for the source of the scream. His eyes met mine, his expression bewildered.

I almost laughed, but he quickly put his hand to his head, covering the tender spot where I had hit him. He laid back down, vertigo taking over.

"Anden?" I leaned over him, worried. "Anden, are you okay?"

He shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut. "Water?" he mumbled through cracked lips.

"I dropped my water, and so did you," I said guiltily. We did have food though. I gingerly pulled the backpack he was carrying off his back and pulled out a can of pears. I opened it and held it to his lips so he could drink the juice.

He slurped it down thirstily, not pausing to breathe. He let his eyes squint open. "What did I hit?" he asked after he was finished, clearly in pain.

"Er…" I stalled. I set down the can of pears and looked carefully at his face. His eyes were watching me, unsuspecting. "I hit you. With a pipe. I didn't mean to hit you so hard, I just wanted to slow you down."

His eyebrows drew together. He clearly didn't get it. Or he didn't want to. "You didn't hit me," he said in disbelief.

"Yes, I did," I said, enunciating each word.

He just stared at me, his expression turning from a true disbelief to an angry unbelief. "Why would you do that? You could have seriously injured me. Honestly, it feels like you did."

"I'm sorry!" I said earnestly. "I really didn't mean to. And I stayed, didn't I?"

He frowned. The pain was probably bearable if he could make faces at me. He was probably going to have a lump on his forehead and he might be dizzy for a day or two, but he would be fine. One day a couple years ago, my father and I had run into some bandits by the train tracks, and when they had tried to jack our stuff, my father and I had run for the woods. I had hit my head on a low tree branch probably as hard as I had hit Anden, and when I had woken up, my stuff was gone and I had a lump on my head for a week. I'd survived though, so I knew Anden would, too. If I hadn't had that experience, I wouldn't have hit him in the first place. Head injuries were tricky.

To otherwise involve his attention for a moment, I pushed the can of pears in front of him. He took it and chewed on a few of them before looking at me.

"So, I guess this means goodbye?" he said, his expression hurt.

"Did I say that yet?" I replied innocently.

"No. You don't have to. You were obviously trying to get away from me. In my condition, I can't follow you. I would be too slow with my head pounding the way it is." He looked very upset. But his voice remained the same calm it always was.

I sighed. "No, I am giving you a choice. It doesn't have to be goodbye today."

He stared at me questioningly. I continued without waiting for an answer.

"We'll travel to District 13 together. You will personally take me there, to see that I will be safe. And then we can say goodbye. If not, I am leaving now. You will be too slow to follow me… without my help. The bump on your head will go away. I can help you with that because I've had an injury like that before. You'll be fine either way. But the only way I am taking you with me is if I have your word." I kept my face and tone serious.

He considered me for a minute before answering. "My word? That's it?"

"No," I said with a smile. "You have to leave your cell phone behind, too. I don't want anyone to be able to track us."

"What? You're crazy. What if we get attacked by criminals? Or if one of us gets hurt and needs immediate medical attention?"

"I was out here for seven years, Anden. If we hop a few trains, which my father and I did all the time, we might be there within a week. I don't know the geography that well, but I know how to live out here."

I thought I had built a pretty good case. But Anden's face lit up as he realized something: I needed him.

He sat up slowly, testing his ability to sit up on his own. "You don't know the geography…" he repeated. His eyes met mine, a smile in them. He mouth remained in a thin line. "I _do_ know the geography. I daresay that if I sent out a search party for you, you would be caught within a day. And we can go back to Denver or Los Angeles, and do things the way we were."

Heat rose to my face. "No, Anden. I won't be held against my will. You said yourself that you have found nothing amiss in District 13. Take me _home_." My voice cracked on the last word. His face revealed his shock at my intensity.

He sighed, laying his hand on mine. I remembered when he did that in my "cell" – it was the day he had brought me a calzone. I didn't think it was possible, but the electricity flowing between us was even stronger than it had been that day.

"Madge," he began, his voice soft. "I promise I will take you home. If you have to do it this way, I will come with you, but I don't think it's the best way. If you could just wait a little longer – "

"No," I interrupted, my voice thick.

He nodded, his hand still resting on top of mine. "Very well. But on one condition. I keep the phone."

I shook my head. "No phone. We can be tracked."

"But what if you get hurt, Madge?" he said anxiously.

"I won't. And if I do, I know how to take care of it. I know how to do this." My hand had balled into a fist beneath his palm. He looked down at our hands and carefully unfolded my fist, holding my hand in his now.

He glanced back up at me, worry creasing his brow. His forehead was forming a little red bump, but it was hardly visible underneath his hair. He sighed before taking out his phone.

I had the urge to grab it from him and throw it down the tunnel, but I could tell by the look on his face I was so close to winning already.

After a minute, he set down the phone on the cold concrete and slid it away from us, and it disappeared from the small pool of light.

His eyes bore into mine. "Madge, if anything… if anyone hurts you, I swear – "

"Nothing can hurt me, Anden," I promised. I took my hand from his and put my arms around his neck drawing him close. My face rested in space between his neck and shoulder.

He didn't respond immediately, that hesitancy still there, but his arms finally embraced me, his head resting against mine.

I was finally going home.


	11. Chapter 11

**I apologize for the super long wait - I was finishing up another fanfic, and I am so sad it's over! If you are a fan of the Selection series, check it out! I'll be starting one shots very soon.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Stay tuned, very soon I'll be posting another chapter, and one of your favorite characters is back! :)**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 11: ANDEN

I still couldn't believe I agreed to this.

As Madge unwrapped her arms from around me and began climbing up the ladder, I second guessed what I was about to do. This was incredibly dangerous, and if anyone recognized me, this could be the end of my life. And because she was with me, it would be the end of hers.

Before she could look down and catch me, I reached in the dark, feeling for my cell phone. My hand connected with it, and I quickly removed the battery and tucked the parts inside the pocket of my suit coat. Without the battery, my phone would be useless as far as tracking was concerned. But if we managed to get into trouble, I would have it and at the very least I could put it back together and call for help. I just hoped the battery would stay alive as it sat outside of my phone.

I climbed up the ladder slowly, my head still pounding at my right temple. I know I should be angrier that she hit me, but I knew from the small amount of time I had spent with her that she hadn't meant to hurt me. What was hurt more perhaps was my pride, since I had been to school to train for such attacks. How embarrassing.

I reached the top of the ladder and squinted at the sky above me. It was nearly noon, the sun hitting us right up ahead. The smell of oranges washed over me, and as my eyes adjusted, I saw an orchard with rows and rows of the citrus lying ahead of us.

"Which way?" Madge said from beside me. I hadn't noticed until she was in broad daylight, but she had a black smudge on her cheek from whatever oils she had touched down in the tunnel, and her hair was pulled back into a knot to keep it out of her face. In broad daylight, her icy blue eyes pierced me.

"Umm… Well the tunnels go southeast. So we'll need to go that way to start heading east," I replied, pointing toward the orchard.

"Oh, good, I was hoping you would say that," she said with an easy smile. She stepped ahead of me and began walking through the grass toward the sea of oranges. I followed her, relieved that our first stop would be there as well.

As we reached the edge of the orchard, Madge tiptoed over the soft soil, careful not to disturb it too much. I walked past her, not being careful at all.

"What are you doing?" she screeched. "You are going to ruin the oranges! Do you know how important it is to keep the soil fresh?!"

"I am the Elector. If I ruin the oranges, I'll simply replace them," I responded, plucking a large orange off the nearest tree. "Besides, these are already full grown. The ground will be tilled and new fertilizer will be laid, and it will be like I was never here." I watched as her expression relaxed.

"Oh." She plucked an orange on a lower branch, although it was about half the size of mine. I reached up past her and yanked on a large one closer to the top.

When I handed it to her, she looked down at her feet. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"You're welcome." I tried to hide my smile. I knew she was feeling especially guilty for the way she had been treating me, and I was eager to see her kind smile and tough demeanor disappear. I knew she was in survival mode, and I couldn't hold that against her.

"Anden?" she said from behind me.

I turned to look at her. She had a ripped piece of fabric in her hand, a small piece of cloth from the blanket that we had brought with us, and she was soaking it with the fresh juice from the orange.

Without saying a word, she pressed it to my throbbing temple. It almost immediately eased the pain.

"There. That should keep the swelling down a bit," she said softly.

I smiled at her, covering her hand with my own.

We stayed there like that for a moment, letting whatever it was between us grow. I wasn't sure that I was really ready for this. Occasionally my thoughts still wandered to June. But I couldn't deny that there was something – and perhaps it was even more potent than whatever I had felt for June – humming between us.

"Hey! What're you _doin'_!? Get outta my orchard!" a hoarse voice screamed about fifty feet ahead of us.

I snapped my head around, the piece of citrus fabric falling to the ground. An older man with a deep tan and muscles that matched my own was running toward us, a rifle in hand.

Madge squealed, dropping to pick up the fabric and grabbed my hand. As we ran in the opposite direction we needed to be, I grabbed oranges from off the trees, throwing them into the open backpack on Madge's shoulder.

"Hey! Stop!" he yelled behind us.

I got in front of Madge, pulling her over a few rows before running back into the orchard.

"What are you doing?" she whispered hoarsely.

"We're going to lose him," I told her, ducking through a space where two thinner trees were growing.

I yanked her through the trees, sometimes running through the open rows, and other times ducking under leaves and branches to get to the next row over. The man's yells became more distant as we ran, and eventually, we could no longer hear him.

When we reached the edge, there was a wooden fence, and I cupped my hands together to give Madge a boost. She stepped into my hands and flung herself over the fence. I gripped the top and yanked myself up, feeling splinters pierce my palms. I swung my legs over the fence, barely making it over before a shot rang through the air, crashing into the wood where my body had just been. Madge and I ran into the trees on the other side, not stopping until our lungs burned. I was surprised that Madge had run as far as I did – I trained every day, running and weight lifting. She had easily kept up with my pace, and only stopped when I did.

"We lost him, yeah?" she said, her breathing labored.

I braced myself on my knees, sucking in air. "I would say so."

I took my hands off of my knees, studying them. My palms were red and I had about half a dozen deep splinters in each hand.

Madge grabbed one of my hands and gazed at it. "You are going to waste all our food on your injuries. This is going to be a long trip."

I scowled. "May I remind you one of those injuries would not have happened if you hadn't made it so?"

She frowned but didn't respond. She squeezed more orange juice onto the fabric, opting for the clean side. She pressed it to my palms and held it there tightly.

"Does the juice help draw out the splinters?" I inquired.

"I don't know. But it will soften your skin, which will make them easier to squeeze out," she replied.

"Squeeze out?" I shifted uncomfortably.

She smirked. "Yup. And you are going to have to let me squeeze out every single one of them, unless you want your hands to get infected."

I almost snapped back that I could just call for help and have them removed with some numbing cream when I was taken to the hospital to be treated, but I stopped myself. She couldn't know I had brought the phone with me. It was the only way I was going to see her safely over the line into District 13.

It dawned on me that since I was very able to walk and run, I could break my promise and call someone now, and I could follow her until help came if she tried to run. And everything could go back to the way it was, and she could go back when I determined it was safe for her to go.

But what stopped me was her faith that I wouldn't – of course, she thought the phone was still sitting in the tunnel, but still. I could have also stopped the man in the orchard, declared who I was and he could have called for help as well. But she trusted me. And her trust was more important than some antiseptic and numbing cream right now.

After a long minute, she removed the fabric and began to squeeze the splinters out one by one. When they protruded far enough out from my skin, she pulled with her fingernails and removed them. I winced and groaned in discomfort, but I held as still as possible and let her do her work.

By the time she was done, my hands hurt worse than they did with the splinters in them, but there was also a sense of relief.

"Thank you for doing that," I said softly, leaving my palms up and open to the air.

"It was nothing," she replied, brushing off the thanks. She zipped the bag up, now full of oranges, and slung it across her back. "We'd better get going. We need to get to the tracks before dark."

"The train tracks?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, that is the fastest way to travel without being seen. We'll jump a train." She smiled mischievously.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" I complained.

She shrugged, walking past me. "Are you going to lead the way, or am I?"

I sighed and stepped in front of her, taking the lead. The tracks may be several miles away, but there were trains that traveled east and headed straight into the Colonies – or District 13 – where we traded. There would be lots of cargo going back and forth, and we could hop one of those.

"Anden, I'm sorry," Madge said suddenly, stopping behind me.

I turned to face her, waiting for her to continue. She struggled with her words.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't. And you've been wonderful to me over the past few weeks. You probably saved my life back there," she added. Then she laughed. "Actually, this would probably be time number three. First when I came to the Republic, and you gave me a nice room to stay in and a chance to tell my story, and then back in the tunnel, when the bricks were falling around us. And back in the orchard. If we had been a second later, you could have been shot."

She toed the dirt beneath her, her eyes downcast. "I don't know why I've been so awful to you. Maybe it's because my dad just died, and I still haven't dealt with that the way I need to. Or because I just want to go back to… well, my home. It isn't the same anymore, I know that, but surely there will be people I know. And I think that would be enough." She shrugged again, her eyes turning glassy.

I stepped toward her, lifting her chin gently with two fingers. "I don't hold anything you've said or done against you. I am happy to take you back home. I just want you to be safe when you do. And I know what it's like to lose the only family you have. I can't even begin to tell you the sleepless nights that I had when my father passed away, and I knew it was coming." I took a deep breath before continuing. Even after ten years, the wound was still painful. "He wasn't the greatest leader either, so it was even more painful that I didn't have anyone to talk to." _Except June_ I thought. I had talked to June once, after she'd found out about the government's involvement in her brother's death. We had connected over our losses. And here Madge and I were, doing the same.

"Thank you for telling me that. If you want to, we can go back to the Republic. I don't want to put you in danger," she replied softly.

Here was another opportunity – but I opted not to take it. I wanted as much time as I could have with Madge, and I didn't want her to be resentful when she left. I wanted her to miss me.

And that was when it hit me. My heart may still be healing from June's rejection, but at the same time, it was falling for the young woman standing in front of me.

"A promise is a promise," I said to her solemnly.

Her eyes widened, surprised I hadn't taken her offer. "Really?"

"Really." I grinned at her. "We'd better get going. I don't want to be in the trees still when it gets dark."

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	12. Chapter 12

**This chapter is very similar to the ending of Champion - I chose to go off memory and change it a bit so that it worked with my story. Lots of you said you wanted Day back, and I have to admit, it's so much more fun when he's around! So expect little Day and June tidbits here and there. **

**Enjoy :)**

**A.R. Darcangelo**

Chapter 12: JUNE

Anden had been missing for two days now, and the Republic was in a frenzy.

The terrorist attack on Los Angeles was a surprise, and we still didn't know who was involved. The Colonies, or as they were known now, District 13, had been as surprised as we were. We were communicating with them on a daily basis, and it was getting to the point where we were going to bring Madge Undersee into the mix.

She was last seen with Anden, and she was missing as well. If we brought her up to District 13, she may be leeway to get some of their help in finding Anden because he was most likely with her.

I had been looking at coordinates all day, trying to decide where they could have run off to. The bricks had been cleared, and neither of them had been found. A total of forty-six people had died when the last bomb had rocked the subway, and many more were injured. All in all, we were very lucky it hadn't been worse.

I sighed as I leaned back against my couch, rubbing my eyes. I studied my apartment to distract myself. Plaster walls, about eight inches thick, steel beams and three coats of light blue paint. Two hidden latches under my television, both to reveal gun cases. My dining room table, mahogany, three inches thick, also encasing a compartment for weapons. It wasn't extremely noticeable, but there was a small indentation where the lever could be pulled. I noticed it only because of my keen, trained eye to notice such things.

I pulled my long black hair into a slick ponytail and hooked a gun on my hip. I decided to go down to the train station one more time and look for anything suspicious.

I didn't bother going through my front door; I hopped off my balcony and landed on the lower roof. I jumped and scaled buildings, still not nearly as slick as Day.

I missed him every day – it didn't seem to matter how much time passed, my heart still longed for him. But I had accepted and moved past the idea of being with him. He was happy and free from the haunting memories, and that was all that mattered to me.

As I reached the station, I looked out over the city, admiring how beautiful Angeles still was despite the fear that had gripped the people in the wake of Anden's disappearance. Luckily, we had managed to keep that secret under wraps, but I knew that people were starting to whisper. The Elector still hadn't given a press conference in the event of a terrorist attack. Was he dead? Did he care?

My heart hurt for Anden. I knew I had broken it, and he was alone. I noticed his attraction to Madge Undersee, but I wasn't sure if he would pursue her because he was still healing from our breakup. The thought made my stomach lurch guiltily.

The Jumbo Tron in front of me blared. I hid in the shadows on the roof, watching the announcement.

A picture of Day's little brother, Eden, appeared on the screen. He was returning from Antarctica, where he was a well-known engineer. My heart pounded at the thought of his return. Would Day – Daniel – come back with him?

I hopped down off the roof when the platform cleared and walked across, focusing on the task I'd set out to do. This was the eighteenth train station I had searched, and I knew Anden was smart enough to leave me a message if he was okay.

As I walked, low male voices murmured in front of me. I snapped my head up, my heart lurching when my eyes met the two men.

Eden walked toward me, thick glasses on his nose, and Daniel was with him. His hair was cropped short, but it was the same white-blonde color I remembered. Our eyes locked momentarily before I focused my eyes ahead of me. We walked past each other, and I kept my head held high.

How had I missed that he was coming back _today_?

I would not talk to him. It was the right thing to do. My heart pounded, telling me otherwise.

"Hey! Wait!"

I glanced back, only to see Daniel making his way toward me. Eden smiled happily behind him.

"Do I know you?" he asked as he approached me. His eyes searched mine.

"No, I'm afraid not," I said as calmly as I was able.

He shook his head. "No, I do know you." He studied my face more closely. His eyes flickered in recognition.

"I _do_ know you," he said again with certainty. "I remember you. I mean, I know your face. It's been a long time but… I would like to get know you again."

My heart fluttered in my chest.

He smiled at me, breaking all my resolve.

"Hi, I'm Daniel." He held out his hand to shake mine.

"Hi," I reply. "I'm June."

His smile widens as I put my hand in his. He shakes my hand lightly, and I forget all about Anden.

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